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Revolution in Israeli radio
Reshet Gimmel announces plans to change playlist song selection system following complaints that certain artists were not getting enough airtime
A revolution is about to take place in Israeli radio station Reshet Gimmel's song selection method.
Kol Israel manager Yoni Ben Menachem has decided to cancel the playlist system by which songs to be aired are selected.
The main reason for the decision is the repeated complaints of discrimination against certain artists that are not compatible with the station's playlist as it is currently composed.
The protest broke out following Israeli singer Liron Tal's affair, which was published in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper a few months ago.
Tal, who had in the past been rejected by the station, managed to get his song played after submitting it under the fake name "Sharon Keinan" and writing on the cover that it was composed by popular singer Eric Berman.
Ben Menachem submitted an internal document to Mordechai Sklar, director-general of the Israel Broadcasting Authority which reads: "I had a number of discussions with Reshet Gimmel manager Amnon Shiloni, in order to propose to you a major change in Reshet Gimmel.
"At the basis of the new proposal lies canceling the playlist system for a trial period of six months in order to examine new broadcasting perceptions of Israeli music."
Ben Menachem did not specify in his letter what would happen once the playlist system was cancelled, but said the next step would be giving producers of the station's programs the authority to select songs.
At the moment, producers are only allowed to choose songs from a list of recommendations that is composed each week by a board of producers.
This system could prove crucial for artists who do not get their songs played.
